Ark 7: The Sariel

Chapter 13: Loosened Grip

"She's what?!?" I said, not believing what Jameson had told me.

"You heard me, and you knew this was coming, if you kept track of time that is" Jameson replied.

"Yea cause I totally have felt the need to watch the time with us rescuing the Arcadian, Troy getting stabbed, Las getting....Las getting shot, a rebellion starting, nearly getting blown up, and on top of that Chief is dead!" I started raising my voice.

"Hey don't yell at me, I didn't cause all of this, I'm just a tech remember?" Jameson looked hurt.

"I'm sorry it's just......all of this is bad, this isn't the kind of place for this to happen....." I apologized.

"It's ok, but I think you should probably head to the medbay.....I already ordered our best doctor to head that way, with armed escort of course" Jameson replied. I thanked him and turned to leave.

"Oh and Jax....good job on the stabilizer, I know this whole deal is hard for you.....hang in there ok? We still need you..." I heard Jameson say as I left. I went down the hall and left Analytical, all I could think about was Las, "Its my fault, my fault that his kid may not have a father....is it even sane? Is it possible that a kid can be brought up in a situation like this? Can a kid live in a environment not to far from total anarchy? Cass is bringing a new life to this Ark, I just hope we can keep that light shining...." I thought to myself. I couldn't believe it, Cass was having the baby, I realized that Las wouldn't be here to witness the birth of his first child, he wouldn't be there for his wife as she suffers the pains of childbirth, I realized if I hadn't screwed up this never would have been a problem, maybe had we finished that fight Chief would still be alive.

The door to medbay was under guard from three armored up Riot Specs.

"Hold there sir, no one is permitted entrance" one of them said looking at me through his helmet visor.

"It's me, Jax...ya know the one that just stopped the ship from ripping itself apart?" I said trying to get between them.

"No badge, no entrance" the guard said.

"Are you kidding me? Let me in!" I said, knowing my badge was in the room with Las.

"Hey, calm down you guys, it's ok he's with me, let him through" Troy opened the door and pushed the guards out if my way.

"Thanks man, I owe you one" I said as we started walking down the hall towards Cass' room.

"Wait, we need to make a pit stop first, follow me" Troy said, leading me down another corridor, we stopped outside Las's room.

"What are we doing?" I asked, confused.

"Just c'mon, I'll show you" Troy said as he opened the door. I walked in and almost passed out from excitement.

"Jax!" Las said in an excited voice.

"Oh my god.....Las....you're....you're ok!" I almost yelled.

"Yup....well mostly I am, still sore and I feel weak but doc Patterson says I'll be fine!" Las said with a smile.

"Well, what are the two of you waiting for? Cass needs us! And I'm sure Las doesn't want to miss the birth of his first kid!" Troy said motioning for us to move. I grabbed Las's bed and pushed it out the door, Troy and I nearly sprinted down the hall. Troy opened the door to Cass' room and the three of us went in, Cass looked at Las with a sparkle in her eye. I looked at Las who was on the verge of tears, I wheeled Las's bed over to a spot nears Cass, Las weak as he was from his injury and held out his hand for Cass squeeze.

The baby girl was born a few hours later, despite my former fears Las managed to see his first child born. We were all laughing and teasing the two on what they would name the baby, then we felt it before we heard it, an explosion. Without thinking, Troy, Alyx and I went to investigate, Troy and Alyx both with handguns, I still hand the EM gun from before. We headed to the explosion site, the blast ripped through the hull of the ship in the same room my family had been staying in. "No....no it can't happen" I thought, panic-stricken. The atmosphere was draining from the room, but I had to try, and I did, overriding the door I peeked in. The sole person in the room was my mom, holding onto the bed frame nearest the door.

"MOM!" I yelled, reaching in to grab her hand. Our hand barely reached but she was losing her grip on the frame, her hand holding the frame let go and for a split second I was the only thing stopping her from flying out the breach. Time slowed, I could feel the pressure, the warmth of her hand, leaving mine, my grip loosened for less than a nanosecond and she was gone. I don't even remember Troy pulling me back in and sealing the door, I don't remember anything after that just....cold.